Prosecutor recommends Napoli sanctions

An Italian Football Federation (FIGC) prosecutor has recommended a one-point penalty
for Serie A title hopefuls Napoli and nine-month suspensions for defenders Paolo
Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava following a match-fixing scandal involving former
Partenopei goalkeeper Matteo Gianello.

Gianello, now a free agent, has confessed to attempting to fix the outcome of
Napoli's Serie A match at Sampdoria in 2010.
Grava and Cannavaro are accused of having knowledge of Gianello's intentions
and failing to report it to the authorities. They deny any wrongdoing.

Samp won the game on the final day of the season 1-0 and qualified for the
Champions League.

FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi suggested Gianello should be banned for 16
months following his confession but the disciplinary tribunal rejected that and
recommended a suspension of three years and three months.

The FIGC tribunal will now determine whether the recommendations on the point
deduction and bans for Cannavaro and Grava are upheld.

Napoli are currently third in Serie A, five points behind leaders Juventus and director Andrea Chiavelli said: "The current incarnation of Napoli is only eight years old and since then has based themselves on transparency and sound principles. The damage this could cause the club is great, we will be deprived of two members of the squad and suffer a points penalty whilst the season is still in progress."

Juve head coach Antonio Conte was handed a 10-month suspension in August,
subsequently reduced to four months on appeal, for his failure to report
match-fixing while in charge of Siena.
He returned to the bench in the Bianconeri's 1-0 win at Palermo pm Sunday.

Conte's former club subsequently accepted a six-point deduction for their role
in the 'Calcioscommesse' scandal, with a host of sides from both Serie A, B and
the Lega Pro receiving demotions, points penalties and fines across a turbulent
summer in Italy.

Former Bari defender Andrea Masiello was given a 22-month suspended prison
sentence after admitting scoring an own goal during a relegation decider, while
ex-Siena defender Emmanuele Pesoli chained himself to the headquarters of the
FIGC for four days in protest against a three-year ban.